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At anytime the onset of a panic attack can happen; when you are at home, in your car, in public or pretty much anywhere. The direct cause of panic attack symptoms have no yet been inpointed by researchers. The cause of panic attack symptoms is believed to be a hereditary condition by many researchers, but other believe the main cause can be stress or fear. In every victim the symptoms always remain the same even though there is no defined cause of a panic attack. The same symptoms as a life threatening experience are reflected in a panic attack as research has shown. During a panic attack the same fear is felt similar to the fear during a life-threatening situation.

You Aren’t Really Dying

A sudden tightening of the chest followed by an extreme increase of heart rate are the symptoms in a panic attack. The person will feel nauseated, dizzy and sometimes a person may even faint as a result of the increased heart rate. Some people may even feel as if they are dying as a cause of panic attack symptoms. Anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours can be the duration of these symptoms.

An effect of stress or nerves used to be what doctors looked at as the cause of panic attack symptoms. The patient was sent on their way and the diagnosis was overlooked. A medication schedule is now used by doctors to treat the panic attack and help prevent any future attacks. To help a person understand the probable cause of a panic attack counseling may also be recommended to help handle oncoming attacks.

Medications Available to Help Alleviate the Cause of Panic Attack Symptoms

To help with prevention or the cause of panic attack symptoms there are many medications now on the market. Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil are some anti-depression medications that doctors have been prescribing. The effects are relieved and sometimes the panic attack can be eliminated all together with these medications. The anxiety levels in a patient are relieved with the help of the medication and it is believed the anxiety levels are the main cause of a panic attack. A patient will feel more relaxed and less susceptible to experience an attack by taking these medications.

A doctor will likely refer to a cognitive behavior specialist in addition to the medication. You will experience two different types of therapy during a cognitive therapy session. Behavioral therapy is the concentration of the first therapy and cognitive therapy is the other. Cognitive therapy will help focus on determining when the believed cause of the panic attack is and also what triggers or worsens the attack. Different ways of managing the cause of a panic attack are learned with behavioral therapy. Relaxation techniques and concentrated breathing techniques are some of the common behavioral exercises.

The believed cause of a panic attack will be attacked by a combination of these two therapies which can help prevent future attacks. Sometimes a panic attack can be dangerous and they are also a very frightening experience. Future treatment is highly recommended even if you make it through a panic episode. If it happens, do not ignore a panic attack. Rather seek help and find the cause so you can avoid any future attacks.

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Panic disorder is a common condition in which a person has episodes of intense fear or anxiety that occur suddenly. Panic attacks can indicate the presence of panic disorder, depression, or other forms of anxiety-based illnesses. A panic attack typically lasts for several minutes and is one of the most distressing conditions that a person can experience. Panic attacks can occur at any time, even during sleep. An attack generally peaks within 10 minutes, but some symptoms may last much longer. At least 1.7% of adult Americans, or about 3 million people, will have panic attacks at some time in their lives. Panic attacks may be symptoms of an anxiety disorder. These attacks are a serious health problem in this country. About 5% of the population will experience panic attacks during their lifetimes. There also appears to be a connection with major life transitions such as graduating from college and entering the workplace, getting married, and having a baby. Severe stress, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, or job loss can also trigger a panic attack.

More women than men are affected by panic attacks. Some people are affected by frequent panic attacks, a condition known as panic disorder. A panic attack is a response of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The most common symptoms may include: trembling, dyspnea(shortness of breath), heart palpitations, chest pain (or chest tightness), sweating, nausea, dizziness (or slight vertigo), light-headedness, hyperventilation, paresthesias (tingling sensations), sensations of choking or smothering. Many of the symptoms that occur during a panic attack are the same as the symptoms of diseases of the heart, lungs, intestines or nervous system. The similarities between panic disorder and other diseases may add to the person’s fear and anxiety during and after a panic attack. Heredity, stress and certain biochemical factors may play a role. Several medicines can make panic attacks less severe or stop them altogether. Paroxetine (brand name: Paxil) and sertraline (brand name: Zoloft) are antidepressant medicines that have been approved by the U.S.

Medications from the beta blocker family (for example, propranolol) are sometimes used to treat the physical symptoms associated with a panic attack. Antidepressants are very effective in preventing anxiety and panic attacks. Antidepressants will not make you lose control or change your personality. These medicines can be used for as long as necessary, even for years. Alprazolam and clonazepam (brand name: Klonopin) are also medicines approved by the FDA to treat panic disorder. These medicines give relief from fear and anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps people learn to deal with panic symptoms, using techniques like muscle and breathing relaxation. Antidepressants, such as Tofranil, often help reduce anxiety and the frequency and severity of panic attacks. Psychotherapy offers support and helps to minimize the fearfulness of symptoms, and sometimes is sufficient to clear up the disorder.

Panic Attack Treatment Tips

1. Alternative treatments like meditation and relaxation therapy are often used to help relax the body and relieve anxiety.

2. Psychotherapy offers support and helps to minimize the fearfulness of symptoms, and sometimes is sufficient to clear up the disorder.

3. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps people learn to deal with panic symptoms, using techniques like muscle and breathing relaxation.

4. Antidepressants, such as Tofranil, often help reduce anxiety and the frequency and severity of panic attacks.

5. Benzodiazepines – These anti-anxiety drugs act very quickly.

6. Antidepressants have been shown to reduce or eliminate panic attacks.

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Copyright (c) 2008 Sandy Adamson

Before we dive into learning the different types of panic attacks, it may be worthwhile to first clarify the difference between anxiety and panic. In our daily communications, people tend to use these two terms interchangeably without realising their difference. Sure, these two have lots of in common with respect to their symptoms, but panic attacks usually last only a short while, though more intense. As a contrast, anxiety strikes you more gradually, is less intense, but lasts longer.

Based on whether a panic attack connects to a triggering situation and how it connects to such situations, panic attacks are grouped into three types:

1. Unexpected Panic Attacks

This type of attack is often associated with panic disorder. It occurs spontaneously without any clear reasons, and irrespective of whether you are relaxing or working. This means that we can hardly relate the occurrence of a spontaneous attack to any specific situation or place. As you may have seen in the movies, people can be awakened from sleep with this type of attack.

2. Situationally-bound Panic Attacks

As its name suggests, this type of panic attack is triggered by a specific situation. For example, if you fear flying or public speaking, exposure to these situations will result in immediate panic attacks. This ‘cued’ attack is rarely experienced in panic disorder.

3. Situationally-predisposed Panic Attacks

This type of panic attack is similar to the above one in that it is also triggered by a specific situation. However, the difference is that the attacks only sometimes occur and may not always occur immediately after exposure to the feared situation. For example, if flying is your feared situation, there are times when you take a flight without having a panic attack. However, in some other times, you do not suffer panic attack until you finish your journey for some while. In other words, you are predisposed to having attacks while taking flights, but the attacks are not a sure response to the fear of flying. People with panic disorder may experience this type of attack.

As you may probably understand, some panic attacks are just phobias over a particular event or place, but others may be truly medical conditions which you should take seriously. It is reported that approximately 19 million people in the United States are panic attack sufferers and they experience a variety of symptoms during panic attacks. Many, however, do not take panic attacks seriously or believe they deserve treatment as a medical condition. It is true that many people who have experience of panic attacks never have further episodes or complications. However, you should keep in mind that chronic occurrence of panic attacks can be a sign of panic disorder, which deserve immediate medical help. Quite often, major disorders could prevent a sufferer from pursuing normal daily routines.

With different types of panic attacks and their different levels of complications, various ways of medical interventions are used. Those commonly used ways of treament include traditional medicine, behavorial therapy, and alternative medicines. In many other instances, however, people are able to live with their panic attacks or use self-help techniques to get out of the situations.

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